Rhobair Duchairn
Rhobair Duchairn was a Vicar of the Church of God Awaiting, holding the office of Treasurer General. In his capacity as a member of the Council of Vicars, he was also a Knight of the Temple Lands. His power and offices enabled him to have a place amongst the infamous Group of Four, the Vicars who truly governed the Temple. Appearance He was tall and acetic. ( ) Biography Loyal son of the Church Duchairn ascended to the Vicarate some time before the Year of God 890. He approached his responsibilities as a consumate, dedicated bureaucrat, typically preferring to leave matters of politics and state to others. As Treasurer General, he directed the assessment of each Safeholdian realm's annual tithe and all other facets of the Church's considerable fiscal resources. During the Group of Four's regular meetings, he provided insights and advice on these matters, though typically did not direct political decisions in keeping with his preference. Duchairn reluctantly supported Zhaspahr Clyntahn's plan to annihilate Charis, though his primary concern at the time was that the loss of Charisian tithes would cause a significant fiscal loss for the Temple. ( ) When the combined fleet amassed by the Temple was destroyed at the battles of Rock Point, Crag Reach, and Darcos Sound, Duchairn was greatly alarmed, especially when these events led to the defection of Chisholm and Emerald in turn. When Archbishop Erayk Dynnys was convicted of heresy and executed via the Punishment of Schueler after he made a declaration of defiance towards Clyntahn, Duchairn was deeply affected on a personal level and began to regularly read the Holy Writ, a practice he had abandoned like most Vicars. ( ) Change of Ways Duchairn's faith based contemplations of the Writ triggered a religious epiphany, and he began to take the traditional pastoral duties of a Vicar, which were by common practice ignored by his peers, seriously. This created some internal consternation within the Group of Four; Duchairn would arrive late to meetings or cause other disruptions because of the additional time he spent as a priest. In particular, Duchairn began to have an adverserial relationship with Clyntahn, who resented Duchairn's increasingly "sanctimonious" behavior. Over time Duchairn became more and more alienated on a personal level with the deep corruption and lack of responsibility infesting the Vicarate, though he was alone and powerless to do anything about it, beyond acting as a voice of reason and moderation in the Group of Four, further inflaming Clyntahn's ire. In his capacity as Treasurer General, he also grew ever more concerned with how the Temple's fiscal security was for the first time in history unbalanced, as expenses in the war against Charis outgrew the Church's increasingly diminished income. ( ) When the Circle was betrayed by one of its members to Clyntahn, Duchairn acted to covertly inform Vicar Samyl and Vicar Hauwerd Wylsynn, though he was powerless to interfere with Clyntahn's plans to eradicate the reformists, and the Wylsynns themselves were unable to escape from Zion. As the day for Clyntahn to spring his trap drew ever nearer, Vicar Hauwerd confronted Duchairn outside the temple, secretly communicating information about the Circle's purpose and Hauwerd's knowledge that Duchairn had been the source of the warning. Duchairn was horrified at the scope and unmitigated brutality of the Inquisition's eventual move against the Circle in Year of God 894, but was powerless to stop Clyntahn, knowing that actively standing against him would only add his name to the list of victims. Duchairn decided to bide his time and focus on his responsibilities as Treasurer General, publicly isolating himself from politics, while simultaneously starting several outreach and charity programs to help the city of Zion's needy. He struck a deal through Vicar Zahmsyn Trynair that ensured Clyntahn would not interfere with these activities, planning to act against the Grand Inquisitor when the time was right. ( ) In the Year of God 895, Duchairn advised his colleagues that the Temple's finances had become critically imbalanced in the wake of the Battle of the Gulf of Tarot, and that emergency measures such as a tithe rate hike and unprecedented taxation on even the Temple Lands would become necessary. Notably, the imminent institution of these measures caused Trynair a great deal of distress, but left Clyntahn completely unphased. Duchairn's view of Clyntahn became increasingly hostile as he continued to focus his attention on providing for Zion's shelters and poor houses. He was assigned a permanent Temple Guard detail, which was commanded by Captain Khanstahnzo Phandys, hand picked for the job by Archbishop Wyllem Rayno, to monitor Duchairn for Clyntahn and ensure he made no attempt to prepare to go into public opposition to the Inquisition. Despite his inability to oppose Clyntahn in blatant word or deed, Duchairn was openly furious in a private conversation with Trynair over the remanding of the Charisians led by Admiral Gwylym Manthyr to the Inquisition for torture and execution, and refused to attend the Charisians' ultimate public Punishment of Schueler ceremony. However, Clyntahn ignored the slight and continued to dismiss Duchairn as a threat. Meanwhile, Duchairn vowed to take the first opportunity to bring Clyntahn down. ( ) The Good Shepherd By the Year of God 898, Vicar Rhobair was regarded as the last truly good member of the Group of Four and much beloved by the people of the Temple Lands, earning the monicker of "the Good Shepherd". When the inhabitants of Zion, supported by significant parts of the Army of God, rose up in rebellion, they rallied behind him. After the defeat of the Inquisition and the disappearance of Zhaspahr Clyntahn, Rhobair Duchairn was made the new Grand Vicar, and pledged himself to reforming and rebuilding Mother Church. His first actions included ending the Jihad and abolishing the office of Grand Inquisitor, replacing it with a court of vicars that the Order of Schueler was barred from serving on. ( ) In August, YOG 905, he died of heart attack while in conversation with friends. Vicar Tymythy Symkyn replaced him in Grand Vicar office. (TFT) References Duchairn, Rhobair Duchairn, Rhobair Duchairn, Rhobair Category:Grand Vicars